Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Duel
Tang Zhengqi said, “Xu, I didn’t expect you’ve never played before. In that case, even if you do play, it’s best to just spend a little money for the experience, and not to spend a lot on expensive rough stones.”
This was a reminder to Xu Yang, looking out for his interests.
Tang Zhengqi was a pretty good person.
He certainly didn’t want to bring Xu Yang here and have him lose a lot of money.
Xu Yang nodded, “I know, I’m just playing around, just to experience it.”
Tang Zhengqi said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you to pick out some rough stones.”
He led Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin to a relatively large shop.
At the entrance of the shop, there were many rough stones displayed.
“Xu, if you see anything you like and think it’s appropriate, buy it; if not, don’t. Anyway, most of the shops on this street are the same. I’ll start picking now, just do as you please.”
Tang Zhengqi was really enthusiastic about gambling on stones, and since he was here, he wanted to pick out several good stones.
Having said that, he started choosing for himself.
Xu Yang used his Appraisal Master Skill and actually managed to make out some clues.
It seemed that not all rough stones were the same.
Uncertain of which kinds contained jade, he took Zhao Yuxin to the stone-cutting area to take a look.
What the rough stones that had yielded jade looked like.
What those that hadn’t produced jade looked like.
What the rough stones that had yielded different grades of jade looked like.
After observing for a while, Xu Yang had a better idea in his mind.
“Wife, let’s go pick out a few rough stones.”
Xu Yang took Zhao Yuxin’s hand and turned to select rough stones.
But just as they turned around, they saw two people.
Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei.
“Yu Xin, what are you doing here?” Zhao Yulu was a bit surprised.
She had seen Zhao Yuxin and Xu Yang at the “Panther” wrap party, but hadn’t expected them to come here.
“My husband and I came to look around,” Zhao Yuxin said.
“Xu Yang, I didn’t expect you to dare come here, really oblivious to how high the sky is and how deep the earth is,” Chen Guanglei sneered disdainfully.
“Me coming here means I’m oblivious to how high the sky is and how deep the earth is? Then what does you coming here count for?” Xu Yang frowned.
The other’s smile irked him a lot.
He hadn’t provoked the other person, yet it felt like they were harboring significant hostility towards him.
It was quite baffling.
Little did he know, having won the hearts of the two sisters, he had driven Chen Guanglei to insane jealousy. Seeing Xu Yang simply nettled Chen Guanglei, who naturally wouldn’t show Xu Yang any kindness.
“What makes you, a hick from a small county, think you have the right to compare with me?” Chen Guanglei mocked with a cold laugh.
“So that’s how it is,” Xu Yang nodded, “If you say I have no right, then I have no right. I don’t care.”
If it had been before, he might have felt inferior.
But now things were different. He had the system and was quite at ease with people who looked down on him.
He also didn’t feel the need to prove anything to the other party; it seemed unnecessary.
“Looks like you’re quite self-aware. But I still have to say, do you know that the recent things you’ve done are like a total idiot?” Chen Guanglei said.
“What recent actions of mine have made you think so little of me?” Xu Yang frowned, puzzled.
“You acquired Yu Huo Home and changed its name to River Bottom Fishing, and you invested in Wu Jing’s ‘Panther.’ Just these two things, tell me, are you not an idiot?” Chen Guanglei sneered.
“Seems you’re quite interested in me, knowing even these two things I’ve done,” Xu Yang said.
“What makes you think a bumpkin like you from a small county town is worthy of my attention? Your acquisition of Yu Huo Home and the name change to River Bottom Fishing have become a joke in the restaurant business. Everyone’s calling you an idiot, I can’t even avoid hearing it if I wanted to. And about your investment in ‘Panther,’ I just happened to see it while having lunch with Zhao Yulu at the Haicheng Grand Hotel at noon,” Chen Guanglei said.
Chen Guanglei was utterly rude in his speech, calling people “country bumpkins” and “idiots” left and right, which was extremely grating to the ears.
“Sis, this is your friend? So uncultured? To associate with someone like this, you must be blind!”
Xu Yang remained calm and indifferent, thinking it didn’t matter, for Chen Guanglei’s lack of manners didn’t reflect badly on him but on Chen Guanglei himself.
But Zhao Yuxin really couldn’t stand it anymore.
People around them started pointing fingers at Chen Guanglei, whispering amongst themselves.
“Calling someone from a county town a country bumpkin, he must be from a big city.”
“Even if that’s the case, his speech is crude and he lacks manners.”
“Just because he’s dressed well doesn’t mean anything; his actions and behavior are quite obnoxious.”
“He probably thinks he can trample others underfoot and is smug about it, not realizing that in people’s eyes, he’s the real ‘idiot’.”
“I actually think that the young man across from him has quite good manners, dealing with such a person calmly and unaffectedly. This level of composure isn’t common among the youth.”
“Exactly, the two are as different as night and day.”
Suffice to say, Zhao Yuxin’s words had turned the tide in favor of Xu Yang.
Chen Guanglei’s face turned sour when he heard the surrounding murmurs.
And he was stuck since he couldn’t lose his temper, especially not at Zhao Yuxin, as that would only stir up more gossip.
Zhao Yulu also felt that Chen Guanglei was being incredibly impolite.
The whispers from the crowd made her feel extremely uncomfortable standing by Chen Guanglei’s side.
All she could do was say, “Guang Lei, you should speak less of such things.”
With a sour expression, Chen Guanglei snorted coldly and turned to leave, with Zhao Yulu following behind.
“Wife, you’re really amazing,” Xu Yang praised.
“Hmph, you should see whose wife I am,” Zhao Yuxin snorted proudly, tilting her head up.
“Of course,” Xu Yang said with a chuckle.
He didn’t mind and didn’t argue, but he was still very pleased that Zhao Yuxin’s remark had swept away Chen Guanglei’s dignity.
Especially because Zhao Yuxin did it to stand up for him, which made him feel very gratified.
The couple arrived in front of a shop, ready to select stones.
At that moment, Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei approached again.
Chen Guanglei’s complexion had returned to normal.
“Xu Yang, you’re here to buy raw stones, aren’t you?” Chen Guanglei asked.
“What about it?” Xu Yang countered.
“Do you think you’re clever for buying up Yu Huoren’s home and investing in Wu Jing’s ‘Battle Leopard’?” Chen Guanglei probed further.
“What exactly are you trying to say?” Xu Yang frowned, visibly annoyed.
“I’m saying, if you think you’re so smart, how about we make a bet?” Chen Guanglei suggested.
“Bet on what?” Xu Yang asked.
“On stone gambling. We each select a raw stone; whoever’s jade turns out to be more valuable in the end wins,” Chen Guanglei explained.
“Why should I bet with you?” Xu Yang asked.
“Uh…” Chen Guanglei was at a loss for words, as he hadn’t considered this point.
Indeed, why would Xu Yang want to bet with him?
After thinking it over, Chen Guanglei could only say, “If you bet with me and I lose, I’ll give you five million. If you lose, you only have to give me five hundred thousand. How about that?”
It was all he could think of, to lure Xu Yang with money.
Xu Yang was just a country bumpkin from a small county town; surely he’d agree to exchange fifty thousand for five million.
Even if Xu Yang had come into a bit of money recently, five million was no small amount.
Moreover, Xu Yang must have invested all of his money by now and probably didn’t have much left.